Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan is a delicious low-carb side dish, and I’ve updated this recipe with a new trick that makes this favorite side dish even better. Use Side Dishes to find more side dish recipes like this one.

I thought I’d about covered the roasted cauliflower possibilities, so it surprised me recently when a failed cooking experiment with the Air Fryer led to a new variation of this Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan recipe. And the new version was such a winner that I decided I had to revise this long-time favorite. Jake and I tried roasting cauliflower in the Air Fryer and then tossing it with Parmesan, and decided it was definitely not a method we preferred. But we had the roasted cauliflower that we’d tossed with Parmesan and the oven was hot from another recipe, so we put the cauliflower into a big casserole dish and put it in the oven, just to melt the cheese a bit before we ate it.

And WOW! The melted cheese in the very hot oven formed a crispy Parmesan crust on the bottom of the dish. Then I remembered this old recipe for Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan and realized we could update the method and make it even more of a wow, and that’s how this new-and-improved way of making this dish was born!

You’ll need a really large glass casserole dish to make this (we tried once on a sheet pan covered with foil, but it was better in a jumbo-sized glass dish.) The trick is to toss the cauliflower with the Parmesan before you put it into the oven, (which this recipe always included), but cook the cauliflower at a super-high temperature and turn it over halfway through the cooking time so the crispy melted Parmesan ends up on top. Try it, I promise you will love this for an amazing and easy low-carb side dish!

How to Make Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan:

(This is just a summary; scroll down for complete printable recipe including nutritional information.)

Cut the cauliflower in same-size bite-sized pieces.

Toss cauliflower with enough olive oil so pieces are lightly coated, then season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper and toss with grated Parmesan.

Spread cauliflower out in a single layer in a very large casserole dish and start to roast at 450F/230C.

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan is a delicious low-carb side dish, and I've updated this recipe with a new trick that makes this favorite side dish even better.

Ingredients

1 very large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

2 T olive oil (see notes)

salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (see notes)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450F/230C. Use the largest flat casserole dish you have and spray with non-stick spray.

Cut away the core of the cauliflower, then cut into small bite-sized florets. Try to make them all the same size and on the small side so they'll all get nicely browned at the same time. (To cut the cauliflower without getting a lot of "crumbs", cut through the stem, then pull the floret apart. This trick works well with broccoli too.)

Put the cauliflower pieces in a large plastic bowl, add olive oil, and toss until the cauliflower pieces are all lightly coated with oil. (Start with a bit less olive oil and add more if it's not enough to cover the cauliflower.)

Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, then toss with the grated Parmesan. (Adjust the amount of cheese depending on how big your head of cauliflower was.)

Roast cauliflower for 15 minutes. Then remove pan from oven and use a large flat turner to flip the cauliflower over so the melted cheese is on top. Roast 15 minutes longer, or until cauliflower is cooked through and nicely browned.

Serve hot. This can be reheated in the microwave or in a hot pan, although it's best freshly made.

Notes

You need enough olive oil to coat all the cauliflower florets with oil. Use more or less grated Parmesan depending on the size of your head of cauliflower; I used coarsely grated cheese.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Cauliflower is a very low-glycemic and low-carb vegetable, and this Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan would make a great side dish for low-carb diet plans, including Keto, plus any phase of the South Beach Diet if you use a moderate amount of oil and cheese.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use the Diet Type photo index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You can also Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

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